1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to portable computers and connectors, and more particularly to a connector system for a docking station of a portable computer.
2. Related Art
Portable computers are popular and widespread devices that provide a user with mobile computing power in a small, lightweight portable package. Portable computers include notebook computers, laptop computers and hand-held computing devices (such as personal digital assistants (PDAs)). In order to save size and weight, portable computers frequently have less functionality that a desktop computer and have smaller devices (such as keyboards and monitors). For example, a portable computer may lack certain drive modules (such as a CD-ROM drive or a floppy drive) and may have a smaller monitor and keyboard.
Although portable computers are very efficient mobile computing devices, they also can be used in non-mobile computing environments. For example, one common device that enables a user to use a portable computer as a xe2x80x9creplacementxe2x80x9d for a desktop computer is a docking platform. A docking platform (such as a docking station or a port replicator) facilitates the use of a portable computer with components that are usually considered non-portable and associated with the desktop computer system, such as desktop computer peripherals and network connections.
Docking platforms are typically used to interface portable computers to other portable, desktop or non-portable electronic peripherals, such as computer monitors, optical disk drives, full-size keyboards, pointing devices such as trackballs or mice, digital cameras, and other devices. Many types and styles of docking stations have been developed to interface with portable computers. Several of the more common types of docking stations are described below.
One example of a simple type of docking station is commonly known as a xe2x80x9cport replicator.xe2x80x9d Port replicators generally attach to a single connector on the portable computer. The port replicator duplicates the connectors typically found on the portable computer and may add additional functionality to the system. These connectors often include PS2 keyboard and mouse connectors, serial connectors, parallel connectors, Universal Serial Bus (USB) connectors, audio input and output connectors, and video connectors. In general, a port replicator is useful for quickly connecting a portable computer to one or more peripherals that may be permanently or temporarily connected to the port replicator. The portable computer is simply connected to the port replicator via a single connector, instead connecting each individual peripheral to the portable computer. The port replicator provides access to each of the peripherals connected to the port replicator.
However, while port replicators are good for making a quick connection to multiple peripherals, and are relatively inexpensive, they have several problems that limit their utility. For example, port replicators are limited to the connectors built into them, such as those described above, and thus have no expansion capability. If a computer user desires to add a peripheral such as an Ethernet connection to a computer network, or a faster graphics processor, the user would be unable to add such capability through the port replicator. Further, port replicators typically connect directly to the back of a portable computer, while multiple peripherals are connected via interface cables directly to the back of the port replicator. Consequently, the surface upon which the computer is resting often appears cluttered and unsightly due to a tangle of interface cables connected to the port replicator. Further, since each peripheral needs to be individually connected to the port replicator, access to the port replicator is cumbersome and inconvenient. Therefore, what is needed is a system for allowing easy and convenient connection of a port replicator or docking station to non-portable peripherals for a portable computer.
To overcome the limitations in the prior art as described above, and to overcome other limitations that will become apparent upon reading and understanding the present specification, the present invention is embodied in a connector system for a docking station of a portable computer.
The connector system includes a peripheral connector array that is removeably coupled, both mechanically and electrically, to a docking station or port replicator. The connector system can include an independent power supply or can be powered by a power supply contained in the port replicator. Since the connector array is removeably coupled to the port replicator, the connector array can be maneuvered to allow easy and convenient connection of appropriate peripherals to the connector array.
Also, the port replicator can have a recessed area for storing the connector array after electrical connection of appropriate peripherals to the connector array. Storage of the connector array reduces clutter and tangling of the cables connected to the peripherals. However, for slim or smaller form factor portable computers, the port replicator can be smaller, and thus, the connector array can simply be electrically coupled to the port replicator. As such in this embodiment, the connector array does not need to be mechanically fitted within the port replicator. In addition, the connector array can be of various sizes and shapes and can be designed to interface with specific portable computers. Further, the connector system of the present invention can be upgradeable in that the docking station or port replicator can accept upgraded or newer connector arrays.
Moreover, the connector array can be an enhanced port replicator with the addition of one or more enhancements such as, for example, Ethernet connectivity, one or more PCMCIA expansion slots, or an ISA or PCI computer card slot. Peripheral devices connected to the enhanced port replicator may be controlled either by electronics within the portable computer, or by one or more computer cards installed within the expansion slots.